Welcome to you all. I am really sorry we have all met like this; however, I am sure that Jake would be very touched that you have come here today.

Before I speak about Jake, I would like to talk about Jake’s family – Steve (his Dad), Jenny (his Mum), Ben (his brother) and Zoe) his sister).

I have had the most amazing experience in the last week to watch these four incredible people nurture and cradle Jake in his last days here with us. You may not be aware but Jake agreed to donate his organs; however, it is not just Jake’s decision. His family must agree also. The courage Steve, Jenny, Ben, and Zoe showed to honour Jake’s wish is nothing but extraordinary. As a Dad myself, to see the despair expressed through the millions of tears and groans was gut wrenching. I am so humbled and proud of Steve, Jenny, Ben, and Zoe. My words will never give justice to your experience

To all of you here today, I can only urge you to register for organ donation. Jake’s wishes have saved lives all young live - including a baby.

Now to you all. All of you have been touched in some way by Jake; either by growing up with him or maybe through his family (Steve, Jenny, Ben, or Zoe). All of us somehow love him or love his family. What a wonderful thing that love and emotion are. This tragedy has reinforced our understanding of how important you and your family’s lives are.

Today we come to remember Jake but we also come to support you -Steve, Jenny, Ben, and Zoe - because we love you with all our hearts and wrap you up in our arms.

Now to Jake. As our family would say “Bloody Jake.”

I first met Jake at Ironside State School in Swimming Club. He was cheeky then and loved giving me shit. Jake was always fun to coach in the Under 12’s at West’s Rugby and, like the rest of those boys, cheeky as anything. He never lost that sense of silliness. 

He only recently caught me checking out my growing tummy in the mirror and just laughed and said, “I won’t tell if you don’t” and then went off to tell his mum.

Jake was always a dreamer. Probably because his mum would read Peter Pan to him every night, he believed you could do anything as long as you believed. As Peter Pan said, “The moment you doubt you can fly, you cease to be able to.” He never ceased to believe. When Jen and I bought the farm, he was always scheming about what he could plant, grow, sell, build, or create. In fact, on his CV, he used to put farming as one of his occupations.

I will never forget when he came to Jen and I and said, “You know, I think that I am going to study science and be like Zoe.” To which I said,” Cool mate but you know, Zoe studied Chemistry and Maths at school” As most of you know, Jake and School didn’t seem to go well together. He promptly told me, “Mate, I got on the Dean’s list forLandscape Architecture.” I nodded and said, “Yes, but what aboutChemistry and Physics?” Well Jake threw himself into it. I fact he got so into it that he did an assignment even before Uni had released it. He could not believe that they failed him!

So, Jake’s dream of becoming as scientist became a reality. He loved it - especially working with turtles in Monrepo and the fauna in Western Australia. Then he found his dream job as a hydrographer in Orange. He just loved nature and working outside. 

There are common threads in all the beautiful words about Jake sent to his family. Those threads are in words like loving, kind, compassionate, thoughtful, natural, and different. Jake was “one of a kind.”

Jake has many great loves – nature, surfing, snowboarding, food - but he truly loved five women – Hilary (his love), Ash McClelland, Annie (in Germany), Zoe (his sister) and his first love, his mum.

His Dad Steve and his brother Ben are his idols. And he was foreverplanning on how he could get to see them. Jake and Ben’s “Rudlin Brothers Meat Snacks” was so important to him that he had the logo tattooed on his bum.

So, you can see there is a wonderful theme here from Jake. He loved his family and all of you. And lie in Peter Pan, he believed that the world is made of faith, trust, and Pixi Dust.  

Poem

“There are moments when you experience a loss that will mark your soul for life.
Moments when you realise nothing will ever be the same again
And your life is divided into two parts. The “before” and the “after” 
When you remember the “before” I hope it is with love and happiness.
I wish you peace and strength when you face the “after.”

God speed Jake on your new journey.